Sunrise on Twilight
by Tai J. Parry
Summary: As Midna travels with Link to save Hyrule and Twilight, she slowly grows to love the Light and the hero within it. Will she figure out her heart and tell her hero the truth? R&R, LinkMidna, rated for safety's sake.
1. Any Port in a Storm

**A/N **Tai here, with my first story, posted up after pesterings from friends. Different fare from what I usually write, but hey. This is a fluffy Link/Midna story, set during the game. Beware of spoilers - if you haven't at least gotten past Lanayru, don't read any further. As spoilers advance, I'll warn you.

Please review. If you love it, tell me what I'm doing right. If you don't like it, tell me where I can improve it. If you think I should burn in the fiery pits of Hell and die a horribly painful death, give me some suggestions for methods. grin I don't mind flamers, as long as they can give me a halfway decent point in the middle of their flames. Don't hold back, I know I'm not perfect, but I'm not going to achieve it if I don't know which way to aim.

Enough of me yapping. Let's get on with the story.

**Chapter One  
Any Port in a Storm **

Lightning split the sky in twain, the boom of thunder rolling over the Twilight Princess and her sacred mount. Link's ears flicked back in irritation at the loud noise, letting out a little growl at the skies as he slowed. Midna ruffled one of his ears gently, watching the clouds. "It's going to rain soon. We should find some shelter." She looked around, then yelped a little as Link nodded his lupine head curtly and turned, loping in that tireless gait wolves possess. Spotting what she hadn't noticed, a cave blocked by a boulder, he paced the perimeter wall, nose twitching. Finding the spot he was searching for just as the clouds split open, he began digging furiously.

Water came down in a torrent, and despite Link's fast work, both he and Midna were drenched by the time he had finished his tunnel. He slipped inside first, the Twili following with a graceful dive, as the wolf quickly set to work. A few moment's inspection later, he was satisfied - the cave hadn't been used in a long time, nothing was coming back. The ground was mostly stone, with a few dirt patches, one of which he had dug his way out from. Link began to shake himself vigorously, sending water flying in every direction. Midna sputtered as she felt the fine mist coat her already-wet fur, giving the hero a cutting glare that didn't last. "Dumb dog," she muttered, with no real malice. Still, Link looked as apologetic as a wolf could look.

He lay down, and Midna shivered - the cave was sealed, but it was still cold. "At least you're drier," she smiled a little, a hint of her solitary fang showing as she swooped down, curling up and shuffling back on the ground. She let out a little sigh as he lifted and put a paw over her, tugging her in a little in a lupine hug. She smiled, her eyes beginning to drift closed before opening wide again at the feeling of something warm, rough and wet trailing her neck. A shudder rippled through her spine, setting her fur on end, and Link drew back slightly, curving his head and looking at her intently. Those piercing blue eyes, fierce and unreadable in battle, were gentle and curious now - she could read the question without anything needing to be said. _'You don't like that?'_

_I think I like it too much,_ a tiny part of Midna's mind chipped in. She ignored it. "Just startled me. What were you trying to do, anyway?" She suddenly giggled, a pleasant sound as he lapped at her cheeks playfully. A tiny hand touched the spot he'd licked - it was damp, but a warm damp, and most of the rain had been cleaned away. Turning back around so she could press back against him, using his furry body as a pillow of sorts, she let her eyes slowly slide shut, the slowing, even breathing of the pup beside her telling her he was succumbing to sleep with her.

* * *

_Agony. Blinding pain, purest burning agony. The air was fire in her lungs, her body begging her to stop the torture, but she stubbornly refused. Each mouthful of air forced into her lungs was a battle won, only to be fought again a few moments later. She could barely see - she could make out her arm in front of her, deathly white where there should have been a dusky midnight. She daren't try to lift her head, but she could feel the fur beneath her, the powerful muscles of the wolf stretching under her. Perhaps there were faster animals, but just judging from time alone she knew this was the best way to travel - it had to have been six hours, and while the wolf's loping stride ate up the distance, she could feel that it would be hours more before he even thought about slowing, no matter what his body told him._

_'He's pushing himself for me.' The thought came from nowhere. 'This isn't about him. He's worried for me.' With what little strength she could afford in the burning light, she gripped his fur, barely enough to be noticed. A sad smile drifted onto her features as she felt Link's pace quicken, and she lay her head on his shoulders. She could feel his light, too - but this wasn't a burning light. His light was soft and comforting - his wasn't the burning light of the midday sun, but the soft light of sunset, strong and proud, but gentle and caring at the same time. She drew strength from that light and warmth inside him, holding on tightly as she willed herself to keep fighting the pain that threatened to blot her mind out for good._


	2. Dawn

**Chapter Two**

Midna's eyes shot open, though the only sound made was a soft gasp, and she didn't move. She could feel a cold sweat clinging to her thin fur, leaving her feeling clammy even in the warmth the wolf radiated. She carefully wriggled out from under his paw, managing not to disturb the sleeping hero. She paused, looking down at him, a soft smile playing on her lips. He had curled slightly around her, intent on keeping her warm, and his expression was soft and peaceful, or as soft and peaceful as a wolf could be, anyway. He suddenly started kicking a leg gently, yipping softly, completely unknowing. The little Twili laughed softly, gently stroking his muzzle before she moved to the tunnel he had dug.

The water from last night that had filled the tunnel had now drained into the earth. It was still dark, although the moon's glow was beginning to wane, throwing the land into a true darkness. The deathly calm over the world made her long for her own home already, as twisted as it was now. She clenched her hands into tiny fists as the beginning of her dream floated back to mind. _I'll make Zant pay for this._

Her thoughts drifted further into the dream. She remembered the odd, warm feeling she got from relying on Link, the feeling of borrowing his light. She was no stranger to sorcery and witchcraft... but this felt natural. Her mind flit back further, to her mental comment last night. '_I think I like it too much'. What does that mean?_

All the thoughts so early in the morning were beginning to give her a headache. She shook her head once to remove the confusion, hovering over to a natural stone bowl. Water trickled through a crack, but enough was left for her to very briefly splash herself down with the cool water, at least giving an impression of being somewhat clean until she could find a larger body of water.

Scrabbling behind her made her turn her head, and she smiled softly as Link crawled out of the tunnel, tongue lolling from his mouth from the faint effort so early in the morning. He sniffed the air, seeming to sense the time, and padded over to sit beside Midna. She floated gently onto his back, ruffling his ear gently. "We ready to go again?" She asked. Link nodded, then paused, ears pricked. With a shake of his head, he started a trot towards the crest of the nearby hill, Midna holding on as the sudden movement almost jerked her off his back. Suddenly stopping and laying himself down on the hill, he looked expectantly to the east. After a few moments, Midna leaned forward, intending on shaking him a little and asking what he was doing, when it happened.

A single ray of light streaked over the landscape, the sky slowly warming to a glowing red, as the sun came up in the east. Midna's breath caught in her throat, watching with a sense of wonder at the slow sunrise. The landscape slowly lit up as the sun rose higher, seeming to heat the sky further, raising to a deep orange and then a vibrant yellow. As the light hit the small river before them, it refracted, setting the water dancing with colours. Finally, the sun finished it's majestic awakening, the sky fading to a bright blue, with no hint of the previous storm. For the first time in her life, Midna was truly speechless. Throughout the adventure, she had always complained about the Light Realm, making her preference for the elegant beauty of the Twilight clear. Now... Now she wasn't so sure. _Twilight has... nothing... absolutely nothing to compare to that..._

She hugged Link's neck gently, the wolf's head curving a little to look at her out of the corner of his eye, a lupine grin on his face. She sniffed a little, and the wolf could have sworn he felt just a drop fall into his fur where she rest her head. Finally, she lifted back up, sitting astride him. "That... was beautiful..." she admitted. After a long pause, she shifted. "Come on. We need to free you from this curse." Link nodded, barking happily as he stood. The Twili astride him giggled, patting his head. "Good boy. Let's go!" Without further ado, they were off, the powerful loping stride of the wolf carrying both hero and rider swiftly to the south, towards the forests.


	3. Too Close for Comfort

**Chapter Three**

Midna panted a little, taking the shortest of breaks, getting her breath back from the first lift, before she refocused her mind. With a cry of effort, she threw her hands up. The sand seemed to detonate where she stared, exploding and flying upwards before coming back down in a single solid block to the side of the hole, about four foot deep and three foot square. Link smiled up at her gratefully. Sweat dripped from his brow, wiped away by a tired hand. He all but collapsed into the hole, curling up quickly against the cool sand wall as his exhaustion took over. Midna chuckled softly to herself. _Poor thing..._

The Twilight Princess shaped a mound of sand for herself, sitting down and watching him sleep. She marvelled at his endurance - even she had been feeling the exhaustion by the time he'd given up, and all she had to do was hover. She glared up to the west at the sun. _I don't care if sunrise __is__ beautiful, you're hurting Link. Big meanie._ The childish thought didn't achieve anything, but it made her feel just a little better that the culprit had been chastised. She reached up, focusing carefully, re-shaping the sand and solidifying the block into one smooth stone wall, much longer and thinner, before toppling it over, using it as a cover. Finally shaping a sloping hole in the top, she nodded as the patch of sunlight suitably lit up the makeshift chamber. Link's eyes cracked open, and he smiled to her again. Midna felt her stomach flutter. _What __is__ that feeling?.._

"Thanks, Midna..." The hero's voice was cracked and parched, a little weak from underuse through the journey. Midna had spoken little, not insulting her companion with false enthusiasm, and Link had done likewise, both taking comfort from that courtesy. Midna shook her head, fishing into her shadow space and taking out Link's pack, handing him the waterskin he'd had the foresight to fill in Lake Hylia.

"Drink. Just rest up. We'll carry on when you're not exhausted." Link cracked a slight grin.

"I'd almost believe you cared about me the way you're talking," he teased, taking a sip of water to wet his mouth. Midna blushed - thankfully, her dark skin didn't make it apparent.

"You're not much use if you're dead of dehydration," she sniped back, a little more sharply than she normally would have, turning away and watching the patch of light on the floor. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Link's mouth hang open, about to say something, before he shrugged and settled back against the wall, staring out the skylight.

"Sorry. I'll be ok. I promised I'd help you, remember? I don't break my promises." That fluttery feeling again. Midna shivered a little. _That can't be normal._

"Just rest up and sleep, ok?" Link sighed, and nodded. Shifting more comfortably, he looked up to her, mistaking her shiver for cold.

"Come here." He patted the ground in front of him. Midna blinked at him, not fully comprehending. "It's cold at night in the desert. We can keep each other warm. Remember?" He explained patiently. Her gaze locked with his, crimson eyes falling into eyes the color of the ocean. Her heart skipped a beat. _Woah..!_

"O-ok." Link raised an eyebrow, but wisely said nothing about the stutter. Midna swooped in next to him, laying down. She tensed, another shiver rippling through her as he slipped his arm around her, cuddling close to her. Her heart rate quickened, and she shut her eyes, trying to calm herself down.

"Sweet dreams, Midna," Link murmured through a yawn, settling to sleep. Midna smiled a little, feeling her stomach flutter again. Slowly, Link's breathing slowed, finalizing his descent into slumber.

Midna turned around, watching him for a moment. His tousled, straw-blonde hair was slightly damp from sweat, his hat dropped carelessly to the side. She examined his face with an odd sort of fascination, as if seeing him for the first time. _He's not bad, for a Light-Dweller,_ she admitted to herself. _I can see why that girl likes him._ That thought sparked an odd feeling inside her, as if she wished she _were_ that girl. _I'm jealous?.._ she wondered. _Why? I'm probably closer to him than she is._

_**But when everything's finished, it's her he's going back to.**_ The Twili shook her head slightly, shaking the chain of thought. _That's silly. I knew that all along, that doesn't make any difference..._ Her attention returned to Link, his eyes fluttering as he breathed a bit more raggedly. _I wonder what he's dreaming about..._ Her eyes traced his features, trailing down his jawline, watching his lips. She didn't know why, but some small part of her mind overrode everything else - she couldn't help herself. Leaning in gently, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

"Sweet dreams, Link..."


	4. Reflections of a Twilight Princess

**A/N **Wow, this is pretty fast work for me - I churned this out in less than an hour as a favor for a friend before she left for camp. Don't expectupdates all that regularly from me - I work pretty much at random, I'll go for days without anything then have an hour-long fit of creativity where I blaze through a chapter. Anyway, on with the story.

* * *

**Chapter Four  
Reflections of a Twilight Princess **

Midna woke quietly but suddenly, watching her companion sleep for a moment before she wriggled out of his embrace, careful not to disturb him, hovering up through the skylight into the nighttime landscape. The stars shone brightly, the moon illuminating the sands with a silver glow. She shivered a little, the chill air sending a pleasant prickle through her skin. Hovering as she was, the sand worms were no threat, unable to find her, and she lounged back in the air, watching the night sky quietly. She felt like she had to get out, even if only for a little bit.

_What's going on with me..?_ she asked herself. Sheltered as she had been back home in Twilight, she had no prior experience to place the emotions and sensations she was feeling. She supposed that was why she liked the adventure she'd been inadvertently thrown on - it was a sharp contrast to the stifling feeling of home. _Honestly, I can take care of myself..._

_**Except you can't. Not without him.**_ Not for the first time over their journey, she glanced back to where Link slept, hidden under the sand and stone. If she listened carefully, she could just make out his even breathing. The sound comforted her.

_I suppose... _The rational side of her conceded the point. _But he needs me just as much. Look at how much he wouldn't be able to do if he didn't have my help?_

_**This isn't just about help,**_ The voice in the back of her head countered. She hadn't a clue where it had come from, but it spoke in her voice and she knew instinctively it didn't lie. _**This is as much about how you feel about him as how useful you are to each other.**_

_How I feel?_ She asked herself, almost sputtering aloud at the sudden thought. _He's a Light Dweller! Feelings can't come into it._

_**Can't? Or shouldn't?**_ She fell silent for a few moments, pondering the counter-argument she'd just presented to herself. Yes, she shouldn't care anything for a Light-Dweller. Yes, the Twilit Council at home, her parents, her people would be shocked and ashamed of her. Yes, just caring for him would jeopardize everything...

But at the same time, none of that seemed to stop her. _Ok, fair point... But still... He has his world, I have mine, our friendship is over once this is through._ The thought of that was... oddly disappointing. She sighed, realizing how far under her skin he'd already got. _Heh... Pathetic. I'm sad that a stupid beast won't be able to carry me once I free my people._ She hmphed softly to herself, rolling over in mid-air and studying the sand intently, trying to blot out further thought, at least for a time. She watched a beetle crawl through the shifting sands, the moon highlighting its path as it scuttled, pausing and opening its green shell to air filmy wings, before flitting off into the night. She watched after it, sighing wistfully, laying on the air as if on plush cushions.

_**You're not upset because you're losing his friendship...**_ The sudden thought from her subconcious puzzled her. _So why am I upset then?_ No response. She chuckled bitterly to herself. _Great, now I'm talking to myself... But why does my stomach do that flippy thing when I'm around him?_ Inexperienced, she took the nearest example she could think of. She recalled a time, back when she was little more than a child, where her mother had tripped, falling down a set of stairs. The young Twilight Princess remembered her gut wrenching as she pattered down after her mother, seeing her laying still and unmoving. After a moment, though, she stirred, groaning and rubbing her head a little. Midna remembered her heart skipping a beat, as she saw her mother smile faintly at her, scooping her up affectionately and cuddling her as she picked herself up. She'd bumped her head a little - Twili could levitate, but it was hardly an instinctive thing - but besides that, she was fine. Midna remembered the feeling of relief flooding through her; as young as she was, the staircase seemed a monstrous fall.

_So, I'm worried about him? No, that doesn't fit, it's been happening without anything worrying going on... _A faint groan from the cave she'd made drew her out of her pondering. _Link?_ She pushed herself back up off her cushions of air, swooping gracefully back into the chamber under the sand.

Link lay shivering, brow beading with sweat in a nightmare. His face clenched in a grimace, and Midna felt her stomach twist. _Poor thing..._ She reached out tenderly, stroking his bangs away from his face. The shivers subsided, although he still rippled with a shudder every now and then. As Midna drew back, he started shivering again. The Twilight Princess sighed. _Big baby. You'd think the Chosen Hero could deal with a nightmare._ Still, she settled down, sitting with him till finally, the Ordonian's nightmare faded. She smiled softly as he returned to peace, settling down as she watched the moon. She yawned - the sun would rise soon, and she hadn't slept for that long. Curling up facing her hero, she let herself drift into a light slumber, eyes sliding shut slowly as comforting darkness enveloped her.


	5. Courage of the Hero

**A/N:** Whee, another update. This is considerably more action-packed than the last, owing partly to me having beaten the Cave of Ordeals twice in a row shortly before writing it. I also wanted to show Midna's admiration of Link's combat style - 'cause trust me, I admired the way he fought plenty, and she got to see up close. 

Enough jabbering. Let's get this show on the road!

* * *

**Chapter Five**  
**Courage of the Hero**

_**Clang!**_ Steel rang on steel as Link rammed his sword-arm up hard, deflecting the pitted, rusted blade. He lunged, slamming the armored corpse with his shield, pouring his force into the blow. With the swiftness of a snake, he twisted his sword, running the ReDead through. It wasn't enough to kill it, but it'd hurt at least. He backflipped away, drawing his sword out of the beast's stomach and setting to defend.

Midna watched from the shadows, her heart thumping somewhere up in her throat. A single crimson and gold eye watched from a realm not quite light, not quite shadow, in the space between worlds out of harm's way. Link had made her promise to stay safe even now she was able to stay in the light, and she wasn't about to break her promise to him unless she had to. Still...

_He's got incredible form,_ she admired, watching him. He leapt powerfully, bringing his sword down in a heavy strike, that would have cleaved through a normal man. Bringing his sword up, he swiped across the undead beast's torso, before an ear-splitting shriek rent the air. Link winced, cringing and shivering as the scream worked on his very soul, chilling him to the bone. _Oh Goddesses..._ Midna focused, ready to phase back to the light if needed.

It wasn't necessary. As the sword came down, he suddenly leapt to the side, hitting the ground on his shoulder and rolling around, pouncing up into a twisting strike that cut strips out of the walking corpse. Midna felt her heart pounding as she watched, wide-eyed. _Wow... Not even the best warriors in Twilight could have pulled that off..._ A thin red streak ran across his shoulder, a thin cut that bled slightly, but nowhere near enough to distract the hero. The injury only served to irritate him, making him more ferocious.

She admired his combat stance - legs planted wide enough apart to give a stable base, close enough together that he could leap quickly and nimbly out of the way, right arm pulled across, the Hylian Shield sitting on his arm like the most natural thing in Hyrule, the Master Sword pulled back a little, far enough to get a decent swing without being too slow to react to new dangers. But what she really loved were his eyes - cold, ruthless, and burning like flaming sapphires in the darkness of the crypt. She briefly imagined what it would feel like to be on the receiving end of that cutting glare.

_I'd just turn on myself there and then, and save myself from whatever he had planned._ The thought drew a tiny giggle out of her. She knew that she'd never have to suffer that cold, piercing look - that was a gaze reserved for opponents, a glare that could cut rock.

_**Clang-Shhhhingt!**_ The undead knight's blade collided with Link's, the two warriors fighting each other's strength until Link side-stepped the swing, drawing his blade up powerfully and swiping at the unguarded neck of his target. Sheer momentum forced the corpse to bend over, fortune frowning on the swordsman as his reckless strike overbalanced him. Throwing his weight, he pushed himself to the side, throwing himself to the ground to avoid falling nastily. Rolling onto his back, he suddenly stiffened, paralyzed, as the beast let out another soul-piercing screech. Midna's heart leapt back up into her throat as she watched the knight raise his sword, Link remaining frozen on the ground, staring in furious horror. _No..!-_

_**Thunk.**_ Midna watched, fascinated, as Link suddenly broke the paralysis. He twisted, brought his foot up and kicked the sword aside viciously, sending it into the ground. In a fluid motion, he flipped onto his feet, standing on the blade as he kicked out, sending the ReDead careening to the ground. With a terrifying roar of rage that made even Midna flinch, Link leapt, landing and thrusting his sword clean through the skull of his opponent, twisting viciously before yanking his sword back up. With a soft bang, the corpse detonated into shadows, which faded away.

Flipping his sword around his hand in that unbearably cocky but stylish manner of his, he sheathed it across his back, Midna silently slipped out of his shadow, hovering behind him and to the right, unusually subdued. He didn't even look at her right away, pacing to the wall and sitting against it, leaning his head back and staring up into the darkness. After a few seconds, he finally looked back down at her, catching her staring at him. He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

_Busted._ Caught staring, Midna blushed, looking away. She masked her embarrassment with indignation. "Shouldn't we keep going? The Twilight Mirror might be our only way back to my world, we need to get there fast!" She heard the hero blow out a long sigh, felt the shame at forcing him onwards rise up. She looked back, pretending to see his injury for the first time. "Oh.. but first, your shoulder..." He looked at her, then at his shoulder, as if he hadn't noticed he was cut.

"Huh. Give me a minute." Reaching into one of the pouches he kept around his belt, he pulled out a tightly rolled length of bandage. Cutting a length, he wrapped it around his arm, a makeshift tourniquet to stem the bleeding and keep the wound covered. Pushing himself back upright, he flashed Midna one of _those_ grins - the grin which made her shiver. "There, sorted. I'll dress it properly later." Slinging his shield across his back again, he walked towards the doorway, pausing to glance back at Midna, who seemed to have paused to watch him. "You coming?"

"..Oh, sure." The imp nodded, diving into his shadow quickly to hide another blush. "Let's go." Link rolled his eyes, resuming his pace. He almost thought for a second... _Nah. After all, why would Midna be checking me out?_


	6. Anymore

**A/N: **Ok, this is the muchly-awaited chapter six. The lyrics Link sings are Travis Tritt's "Anymore", and the title is also from the song. Please note, the beginning bit in italics is a dream - just in case it wasn't obvious. Remember to read and review! Also, this is slightly mushier than the other chapters, and maybe a touch darker to begin with, too. It's up to how you interpret it, I guess. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Six**

**Anymore**

_Pitch black. She couldn't see anything, even with her enhanced night-vision; her blindness terrified her. The world was silent, but she at least felt some minor relief as she heard her own scared screams ring in the room she was in. She felt blindly along the walls. The room wasn't very big - about four foot square and three foot high, solid stone. She thrashed out with her fists, her hair joining the assault, but all her actions were futile - no matter how hard she hit, the stone wouldn't even shake. _

_The Twilight Princess sat down weakly, exhausted from her outburst, and began to cry. She was scared. She'd never felt helpless before - it didn't matter what happened, she could always fend for herself. The darkness seemed to close in oppressively, constricting her lungs. A tiny part of her admitted what she didn't want to acknowledge - she was going to die here._

_Suddenly, a sound. Ting. Not a loud sound, but it didn't come from her. She stared bleakly at the direction the sound came from, as another sound came. Ting. It was soft, almost melodic, a distinctly metallic noise. Ting. A red and gold eye stared into the darkness, and the darkness tried to glare back._

_The darkness lost. With a sudden roar of sound, and - was that a yell? That was a yell! - the wall caved in. Light spilled into the room, glinting off the shining blade piercing the rock. The blade withdrew, darkening the cavern but leaving some light, only to return higher, slicing through the wall and vaporizing the rock holding her prisoner. With a third, final strike, the blade was thrust straight through, and the top of the miniature prison came flying off. White light almost burned before dimming to a soft, familiar grey that she was comfortable with. The soft light played on the blue hilt as the sword fell from its wielder's hand, her green-garbed hero kneeling and lifting her gently from what she was so certain would be her coffin. Weakly, she looked up, watching his concerned eyes run over her form before meeting her gaze. She tripped and fell right into those beautiful sapphire eyes. _

_He smiled, the expression seeming to light the room up - but not the light she disliked, a soft light that made her heart flutter in her chest. He gently stroked her cheek, the same hand that had earlier cut through stone to save her now gentle and loving, sending shivers through her. He gently leaned in, his handsome face slowly coming closer and closer, till his lips finally met hers..._

_**Crack**_.

Midna's eyes flew open with a start, the Fused Shadow she used as a helmet currently serving as a pillow. It took a second for her to figure out where she was. _I'm ok? I must have been dreaming..._ Her worry settled, she thought to the end of her dream, biting her lip. _That was... strange..._

_**Crack.**_

The sound alerted her. She sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning silently, watching a flash of a slightly brighter green than the surrounding forest disappearing into the brush. She glanced around the camp - Link had gone, but his equipment was still here. Curiosity finally overcoming her, she floated after the flicker.

It was Link, as she'd assumed. She stayed close enough to track him, but far enough that she wouldn't disturb him. After a few minutes, they came out of the forest into the Ordon Spring. Link walked forwards a few steps, into the lip of the water, tilting his head upwards. Midna settled in a branch on the treeline, watching him with a tilted head and a curious expression. The Hero of Twilight slowly sat down, one leg extending into the water, resting his elbow on the knee of the other. One of the many fairies in the spring fluttered around him, and he held out a finger, watching the floating ball of light settle with a soft smile. Sighing wistfully, Link looked up at the sky, the stars and moon bright.

"_I can't hide the way I feel about you anymore.  
I can't hold the hurt inside,  
Keep the pain out of my eyes  
Anymore_

_"My tears're no longer waiting  
My resistance ain't that strong  
My mind keeps recreating  
A life with you alone  
And I'm tired of pretending  
I don't love you, anymore..." _

He sang beautifully, a faint drawl to his voice, the accent a betrayal of his home here in Ordon. He sent the fairy fluttering into the air gently, leaning back on his hands and tilting his head back, eyes closing.

_"Let me make one last appeal  
To show you how I feel  
About you, mmhmm  
'Cause there's no one else, I swear  
Holds a candle anywhere  
Next to you, mmhmm...  
_

_"My heart can't take the beating  
Not having you to hold  
And a small voice keeps repeating  
Deep inside my soul  
It says, 'I can't keep pretending  
I don't love you, anymore...'"_

His voice trailed off, humming the song softly, plucking some horse grass from the ground and gently twirling it between his fingers, examining it pensively. Midna felt a splash of water on her knee, looking down then touching a hand to her eyes. She was crying. _When did that happen?_ She wondered, dismissing the thought almost instantly in favor of holding onto his song. _That was beautiful..._

_But it wasn't for me..._ Sighing inaudibly, the imp stood on her branch, prepared to leave the love-lorn hero to his musings - probably about his farm-girl sweetheart or the princess. His voice stopped her. "Dammit, Midna..." She froze - had he seen her? Turning around slowly, she saw that wasn't the case. He was staring up at the stars now. "How much will it take to show you?.." The hero sighed again, laying back and twirling the horse grass under his chin. "I just wish..." Another sigh. Link looked down towards the water, biting his lip. "I love you, Midna..."

Midna stood shellshocked. Everything fit together in a rush. _I'm in love with him... And he loves me? But... it can't work..._ She bit her lip, tears falling from her eyes as the realization hit her. _I love him... _

She turned to leave, back to camp, to leave hr hero to his thoughts. To protect him, she couldn't tell him. She wouldn't hurt him like that. As she turned, she whispered. "I love you too..."


End file.
